Stalwarts return to action for Munster

Munster coach Declan Kidney has announced a 24-man squad for Friday night's opening Celtic League match against the Border Reivers at Thomond Park. It heralds the return to competitive action of seven players who were included in Ireland's summer two -Test tour to Japan.

Peter Stringer is likely to start the match at scrumhalf while Marcus Horan and Frankie Sheahan should return to the frontrow. Trevor Hogan, who made his Ireland debut in Japan, could partner Mick O'Driscoll in the secondrow while David Wallace and Denis Leamy will be strong favourites to partner Anthony Foley in the backrow.

The latter, playing in his 142nd game for Munster, has once again been nominated as team captain this season.

John Kelly received six stitches to a cut over his eye against Leicester at the weekend and no decision on his fitness will be taken until later in the week. Shaun Payne who missed that game at Welford Road with a neck strain has been included in the squad. Kidney will give the pair every opportunity to prove their fitness before settling on his starting XV.

Munster paid the price for some lax defending during the second half against a very strong Leicester team, the Irish province eventually succumbing 50-19. They shouldn't encounter that sort of quality on Friday night when they take on a Borders side that finished last in the Celtic League last season.

Leinster will confirm their match squad for the trip to Wales to take on the Neath/Swansea Ospreys on Sunday evening at lunch-time today and it's expected they'll be able to call upon most of their international players with the obvious exception of their Lions.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has also delayed confirming his team until tomorrow ahead of their game against Cardiff at the Sportsground on Saturday. The Irish province lost twice last season to the Welsh side, 18-8 at home and 31-6 in the Principality.

Bradley is without long-term injury victims James Downey and Mark McHugh but welcome back a quartet of players. Brendan O'Connor has recovered from an ankle injury while Ted Robinson, Darren Yapp and John Hearty came through unscathed in a recent training match against the Connacht Under-21s.

Connacht have a huge incentive this season as they are no longer shackled by the IRFU's insistence the union will decide Ireland's representatives in the Heineken European Cup. If Connacht finish higher than one of the other provinces they will play in the elite European competition.

For now though, Connacht must concentrate on the European Challenge Cup and yesterday they released the dates and times of five of their six pool matches in the new-look format. They will play Amatori Catania in their opening match at the Sportsground (2.30) on Saturday, October 22nd. They then face a Friday night trip to Montpellier and eight days later travel to take on English side, Worcester.

Successive home matches in Galway follow, both on Saturday with a 2pm start. The dates and times for the final round of matches have yet to be finalised.

MUNSTER: S Payne, J Manning, J Kelly, R Henderson, M Lawler, T Halstead, B Murphy, P Burke, F Murphy, P Stringer, D Ryan, A Foley, D Wallace, D Leamy, F Pucciariello, J Flannery, M Horan, A Quinlan, F Roche, F Sheahan, J O'Sullivan, M O'Driscoll, S Keogh, T Hogan.